The Rod of Asclepius
by Tameri J. Calhoun
Summary: Annabeth returns to Camp Half-Blood, only to find that Peleus, the guard dragon, is sick. On a quest to discover the cure and find the cause, the campers find more than they thought they were looking for. T since I'm paranoid. MAJOR TLO SPOILERS.
1. Peleus Gets the Dragon Flu

**The Rod of Asclepius **

**Peleus Gets the Dragon Flu**

**Author's Note: I tried to keep the chapter names similar to the ones in the books, even if I didn't write it in first person. XD Anyway, enjoy! **

A girl with short black hair walked towards the car. To the trained eye, a silver, shimmering light could be seen around her, though it was clearer at night. Annabeth grinned, rolling down the passenger window. "Hey, Thalia!" she said happily. "How's it been with the Hunters?" "Not much excitement lately," Thalia responded as she climbed into the passenger seat behind her friend.

"It's great that Artemis and Chiron let me take part of the summer to teach archery to the campers," she added. Annabeth nodded agreement. "It's gonna' be great." In a matter of minutes, Annabeth and Thalia were on their way to Camp Half-Blood.

A few minutes down the road, Annabeth turned on the radio, immediately switching it over to her CD. Thalia looked at her oddly. "Who is that?" she asked curiously. "Owl City," Annabeth responded. "Don't you have any Green Day, or..." Thalia suggested. "Oh, he's not that bad!" Annabeth chided. Both girls grinned.

By the time Annabeth's silver car reached the borders of Camp Half-Blood, Thalia switched the CD to a Green Day album. Annabeth didn't mind. She parked near the white vans with _Delphi Strawberry Fields _painted across the sides. A few other cars belonging to campers were parked in the small lot; Annabeth recognized a certain Prius and smiled. They grabbed their stuff from the truck, then both eagerly headed towards the camp. However, their cheery disposition faded when they saw the dragon wrapped around the large pine tree.

His head was low to the ground, and smoke trailed from his nostrils uncontrollably. His normally bright, green eyes looked red and puffy, and he barely had the energy to look up at them to make sure they were allowed near the camp. "Peleus?" Annabeth said, concerned. She gently stroked his head. "You'll get better," Annabeth reassured him, then continued through the borders to camp.

They found Chiron as soon as they entered camp. "Ah, Annabeth, Thalia," he said. "Hi, Chiron. What happened to Peleus?" Annabeth said, getting to the point. Chiron sighed. "Nobody knows. None of the Apollo campers have been able to heal him, and none of my herbal remedies have helped," he told them. Chiron rarely appeared worried, but the girls could tell he was stressed over Peleus.

"Why don't you girls get settled into your cabins? There's not much we can do about it, now," he told them. The girls nodded. Annabeth headed towards the Athena cabin and Thalia headed to the empty cabin of Zeus. Before Annabeth could reach her cabin, she was met by Percy, who pulled her into a hug. "Did you see Peleus?" he asked. She nodded grimly. "I have to get unpacked. See you later," she told him, giving him a peck on the cheek before continuing to her cabin.

She was unpacked in a few minutes. Along with the year-round kids, a couple of her siblings had arrived before her. However, they had enough sense to leave her her usual bed. Her stuff strewn across the bed to claim it, she was unpacked.

She met up with Percy again outside his cabin. "Is Rachel here yet? Chiron's probably going to issue a quest for Peleus," Annabeth asked. "She should be here tonight. Her dad finally allowed her to come," Percy explained. "How's she gonna' get here?" Percy grinned. "Blackjack is on Rachel duty," he told her. Annabeth smiled.

"Sword practice?" Percy suggested. "I was going to see how Thalia was doing, first," Annabeth responded. "I'll come with you," Percy said. "I haven't seen Thalia since last summer." With that, they headed towards the archery range.

* * *

Thalia notched an arrow, aiming for a straw dummy in Greek armor. She fired. Between the dummy's "eyes," an arrow was lodged perfectly. "Nice shot," Percy complimented. "Naturally," Thalia returned with a grin. "Well, I wanted to say hello before I beat Annabeth in a sword fight," Percy said, winking. "Yeah, right, Seaweed Brain. You'll see," Annabeth retorted. "Well, we'll see you later, Thals," Annabeth said, waving and heading out.

In the sword fighting arena, Mrs. O'Leary was contentedly chewing on the dismembered head of one of the training dummies. "AROOF!" she barked as she saw Percy and Annabeth, barreling into Percy and soaking him in hellhound drool. He stood up, stroking her shadowy fur with a grin.

As both he and Annabeth donned training armor, Mrs. O'Leary went back to chewing on the dummy's head. Her tail was wagging ferociously. Percy pulled Riptide from his pocket and uncapped the pen. It grew into a sword, its celestial bronze blade shining. Annabeth found herself a sword, wasting no time and lunging for Percy.

He parried the blow easily. He jabbed out at her with Riptide, but she was too quick. Side-stepping, she aimed for his side. Percy's blade met hers, pushing it aside. She scowled, but she had a strategy. A daughter of Athena _always_ had a strategy. She dodged his blade as it came towards her. As he lunged again, she countered the blow, twisting the blade and wrenching it out of Percy's grip. It clattered across the ground, laying in the dust. Annabeth repositioned herself so that she was between Percy and his blade.

She knew that Riptide would return to his pocket eventually, but she hoped to tire him out before it could. He lunged, empty-handed, at her right in an attempt to distract her. He then dove to her left, but she blocked his path with a broad slash of her sword.

"You done yet, Seaweed Brain?" Annabeth taunted. "Not even close, Wise Girl," he smirked. However, Annabeth could tell that he was beginning to tire. His breathing was becoming slightly heavier and sweat was beading up on his forehead. Since he was invincible, he tired faster. On top of that, he was mostly out of practice from limited training over the winter months.

Annabeth lunged at Percy again, forcing him down with her sword point at his stomach. With one final push, she had him on the ground with her sword at his throat; not that that could hurt him. After taking a dip in the River Styx, only one part of his body remained vulnerable.

"Okay, okay! You win!" Percy held up his arms in defeat just as Riptide returned to his pocket. Annabeth helped him up, planted a kiss on his cheek, and starting taking off her armor. Percy whistled. Annabeth glared and pushed him back into the dust.

He grinned and picked himself off the ground, following Annabeth as she exited the arena. Mrs. O'Leary followed him, her tail still wagging. "I was just joking," Percy said as he caught up with Annabeth. "I know." She pushed a strand of blond hair behind her ear.

"Let's go see poor Peleus," Annabeth said, grabbing Percy's wrist and dragging him in the direction of the tree. He didn't object. Mrs. O'Leary bounded happily after them. They could spot the dragon's bronze-tinted scales from the Big House. They shone in the sun, but as they got close, the glitter of the scales was dulled by the smoke and his sickly appearance.

"Hey, buddy!" Annabeth said gently, walking up to the dragon. For some reason she'd taken a liking to the beast. "We'll figure out how to make you better," she promised. "Um... you'll be fine, big guy," Percy added. Mrs. O'Leary barked her encouragement, jumping in excitement. She was by far the most excitable hellhound- _ever_. Percy grinned, stroking behind her ears.

It was almost dinner when they returned from visiting Peleus. They ran into Seth Miller on their way back. He was a son of Apollo, with mousy brown hair and striking blue eyes. He was tall, and was rarely seen without a bow and a quiver of arrows. "How's he doing?" he asked. Percy frowned. "He hasn't gotten any better," he answered. "Well, I'm going to check on him," Seth told them. They nodded and continued on.

As everyone scraped a food offering into the fire, a large black shape rocketed overhead. Percy yanked Riptide from his pocket before he realized it was Blackjack and Rachel. _Woah, boss! _Percy heard Blackjack say. _It's just me! _Percy grinned and returned Riptide, in pen form, to his pocket.

The Pegasus landed on the ground beside Percy's table. He was sitting alone because his Cyclops half brother, Tyson, hadn't yet returned from Poseidon's forges, where he was serving as a general of the Cyclopes' army and worked to build weapons.

Chiron perked up slightly at the sight of Rachel, the Oracle of Delphi. She slipped off Blackjack's back, patted him on the side, and went to talk to Chiron. "Sorry I'm late. My dad didn't want to let me come, and-" Rachel started. "It's fine. We have a more pressing matter at hand. I don't suppose you saw Peleus on your flight in?" Rachel looked confused. Percy mouthed "the dragon." "Oh, um, no," she said. "Well, I'm afraid he's sick. Without him, it would be easier for someone to steal the Golden Fleece, leaving the whole camp at risk. We were hoping you could advise us," Chiron explained.

Rachel nodded cautiously. She hadn't had much expercience yet as the Oracle, but she'd administered the next Great Prophecy. "First, though, who will go on this quest?" Chiron asked, directed towards the campers rather than Rachel. The Oracle didn't seem to realize that. Rachel's eyes started glowing green, and her voice seemed to triple as she talked.

"_Three demigods will seek a cure, _

_ returning will be more. _

_What they want they will not find._

_ 'Less matter is trumped by mind. _

_What's not sought but comes along_

_ is often right when thought wrong. _

_For fear of death, turn back in vain, _

_ and fail to retreat, stay in pain." _

Then, the glowing stopped, and Rachel stumbled backwards. Percy caught her before she could hit the ground. Chiron contemplated the prophecy. It didn't sound too promising, but prophecies were rarely as they sounded. "That still leaves the matter of who to send on this quest," Chiron said. Seth Miller stood. "I'd be happy to go," he volunteered.

"You need to remain at camp," Chiron stated. Seth started to object. "The sons and daughters of Apollo are needed in case Peleus gets worse," Chiron stated. "And you're one of the best of the healers." Seth thought it best not to object.

Annabeth sprung from her seat. "I promised Peleus to find a cure. I need to go," she said. Chiron sighed; he didn't exactly want Annabeth gone, and she'd been on many quests. However, no one else volunteered. "Very well. Who will you take with you?" Not that it was a surprise. "Percy?" He nodded. Annabeth scanned the other campers. Grover wasn't back from his nature mission yet. She and Thalia exchanged a look; Thalia promised Artemis she'd teach the campers archery. "Nico?" Nico shrugged. "Sure," he said.

With that settled, the campers, aside from the ones going on the quest, returned to their dinner. Nico and Annabeth went towards Percy's table, where he, Chiron, and Rachel were already talking. "The prophecy didn't tell much about where we're supposed to go," Percy mused. He looked at Rachel expectantly, who shrugged and rolled her eyes.

"You could talk to Apollo," Rachel suggested. "The gods are busy," Chiron answered. "Even Apollo. Even if you could talk to him, he probably wouldn't have time to com heal Peleus." "Wait," Annabeth said, remembering something. "Isn't there another god of healing? Asclepius?" Chiron nodded. "Apollo's son. But he was killed by Zeus." "I know," she said. "But didn't he have some kind of healing rod?"

Chiron lit up. "You're absolutely right! Though no one is quite sure where the rod is located," he said. "It's most likely in a museum somewhere," Percy suggested. "And I know just where to start."

**End Note: Cliffhanger! Mwahaha! Anyway, I had to add Thalia in here. She won't have too big of a part in the beginning but I couldn't not have her in the story. XD What do you guys think was the cause of Peleus getting sick? I'm curious as to your predictions. :3**


	2. The Quest Goes Behind the Scenes

**The Quest Goes Behind the Scenes**

**Author's Note: Here's chapter two. Special thanks to iLoveSeaweedBrainAndWiseGirl and SeaweedBrain62 for being my first two reviewers! They're what got me to update so quickly. XD (I'll have the chapter written, but getting me to type it up...) Anyway, enjoy the second chapter!**

About ten the next morning, Annabeth, Percy, and Nico were standing outside of the National Museum of History in New York along with two Pegasi that had, hopefully, been disguised by the Mist and Mrs. O'Leary the "poodle." "Thanks, Blackjack," Percy said, patting the head of the Pegasus. _No problem, boss! _"Take Guido and Mrs. O'Leary and wait for us to come out," Percy added. _Will do! _As the Pegasi and Mrs. O'Leary disappeared out of sight, the doors to the museum opened.

They went in casually, heading towards the ancient Greek exhibit. Annabeth noticed that Percy seemed unfocused. "What'cha thinking about, Seaweed Brain?" "This is where it all started. Mrs. Dodds, the Kindly One. It was all here," he answered. Annabeth smiled thoughtfully.

They scanned the displays for the Rod of Asclepius, but didn't find anything even remotely close. Annabeth gulped as one of the security guards came toward her. He seemed intent on her orange Camp Half-Blood t-shirt showing from underneath her hoodie. "Um, did I do something... wrong?" she asked, trying to look confused and innocent. Her invisibility cap was inside her hood, but other than that, she didn't have a weapon if he were to attack her. None of her friends were close by.

The man smirked. For some reason, there was something familiar about his looks, especially the intelligent look in his eyes. Gray eyes. "Are you..." Annabeth lowered her voice, "a son of Athena?" He smiled wider. "Indeed. And, I assume, you are as well." She nodded. "My friends and I are on a quest, and we were hoping we'd find what we're looking for here."

"No luck, huh? Well, I just might have some helpful information," the guard told her. "Really? I'll get my friends." Before the man could respond, Annabeth had disappeared into the museum in search of her friends. She found Percy where she'd left him, apparently still lost in thought, and she found Nico lurking in the shadows of the Hades exhibit.

Annabeth was less nervous with Percy and Nico; Percy had Riptide and Nico could easily summon skeletal warriors if they got into trouble- that and, he'd discovered, Stygian Iron didn't set off a metal detector. The son of Athena had waited for them.

He looked to make sure no one was paying them any attention and led them to the back room of the museum. "Couldn't you get fired?" Nico pointed out. "Not if you know how to manipulate the Mist correctly," the man answered, winking.

He took them to the back of the back; a secret room apparently built for half-bloods that worked in the museum. Annabeth was still cautious, and she could tell Nico and Percy were, too. "What are you three searching for?" The man got straight to the point. Nervously, Percy explained the quest for the Rod of Asclepius.

"Well," the guard pulled out a map from a stack of papers. It was obviously enchanted, the pictures were shifting around. He muttered a few words in Ancient Greek under his breath and the pictures stilled. An image of a staff, a snake wrapped around it, was visible. Examining the map, the image was visible over the state of Pennsylvania.

Nico scowled, but Annabeth wasn't disappointed. "It could easily by across the country," she stated.  
"Pennsylvania isn't too far." "Now, this map shows where it was last recorded by half-bloods. It may not be there any more, but it's your best bet," the security guard-in-disguise explained. "You should get going, but, first, take this," he said, handing Annabeth a card that read "_Roger Burnick, Half-Bloods for History, President." _

"Thanks, Roger," Annabeth said as he led them out, winking. They met the Pegasi and Mrs. O'Leary at the back of the museum. Mrs. O'Leary barked happily at the sight of them. "You guys have any trouble?" Percy asked the Pegasi. _No, siree, Boss. Guido and I, we kept outta' sight. The dog was bouncin' 'round the streets, but nobody seemed to notice anything odd about 'er. _Blackjack explained to Percy. "That's good. You guys think you can make it to Pennsylvania?"

* * *

When Annabeth and Percy's Pegasi landed in front of a tiny museum in backwoods- Pennsylvania, Nico was leaning against a tree, a soda from McDonald's in his hand. Mrs. O'Leary was gorging on about fifteen cheeseburgers. Shadow travel- much faster, even than flight via Pegasus.

Percy grinned. "Thalia would approve," he commented. "AROOF!" Mrs. O'Leary said happily. Percy stroked her ears. "Alright, Blackjack. Take Guido and Mrs. O'Leary. I'll whistle for you when we need a lift. Blackjack nodded. He whinnied, and both the Pegasus and the hellhound followed him out of sight.

Annabeth headed into the small museum. Nico sent a horde of skeletal warriors to clean up Mrs. O'Leary's McDonald's mess, then followed Percy and Annabeth into the museum. Only a few other visitors were in the museum, which would likely make their task more difficult.

Annabeth had taken off her jacket, tying it around her waist and putting her Yankees cap into her pocket. They asked the guide where the Ancient Greek exhibit was. She pointed towards a room, past the Egypt exhibit. "Thanks," Annabeth said, rushing past the exhibits of pyramids.

Another teenage girl was staring at one of the Ancient Greek exhibits. Her hands were in her pockets and her long, dark hair was draped over her shoulders. She was staring at a display entitled _Gods of Healing. _If the Rod was there, that's where it would be.

At first, Annabeth couldn't find it. Percy saw the staff, towards the bottom of the display, amongst a bunch of relics from Apollo and the other healing gods. Tapping Annabeth on the back, he pointed to it. "That must be it!" he said enthusiastically. Annabeth nodded, then scowled. "Then comes the task of _getting _it," she murmured.

The girl turned to them. "Are you guys, like, thieves, or something?" she asked, just barely too loud. One of the guards turned towards them, and walked over hastily. Percy glared at the girl, fingering Riptide. "We don't want any troub-" he was cut short as the guard started to transform. "Always a monster," Percy muttered. "Why can't we have a _normal _problem?" A few seconds later, a _dracaenae _was in the guard's place. Percy didn't really _want _to know what they saw through the Mist.

Percy drew Riptide, the celestial bronze blade shimmering in the dull light of the museum. The girl was staring in shock. The _dracaenae _sized up each of the half-bloods, then turned towards the other girl. "So," she said in her raspy, serpent-like voice, "we have _four _half-bloods now? You've come to get the girl, I suppose?" Percy wasn't sure at first what was going on, but that didn't stop him from slashing viciously at the dragon woman.

She parried, knocking Riptide from Percy's grip. Annabeth had left her knife with Blackjack; it wouldn't have done well through security. Nico called for skeletal backup, but this _dracaenae _was powerful. She batted them aside with her tails as she held Percy back from his sword with her oddly shaped spear.

Annabeth was about to leap into action when she heard the shatter of glass and an arrow lodged itself between the _dracaenae's _eyes. In a matter of seconds, she disintegrated.

A confused Annabeth swiveled to see a young man, who appeared barely older than nineteen, with a bow raised. He scowled. "I can't believe I didn't realize it! The Council won't be happy..." he muttered. As he walked towards them, Annabeth recognized the familiar limp- a satyr in disguise.

"I-I'm sorry about that, you must... all be half-bloods," the satyr stammered. He ran his hands through his slightly puffy hair, revealing two small goat horns. "It's fine, we're all fine," Annabeth reassured him. Then Annabeth turned towards the other girl, who was frantically trying to make sense of what had happened. "You're a half-blood?" Annabeth asked. "A half-_what_?" The other girl was obviously confused.

"Never mind. Do you have ADHD? Dyslexia? Only know one of your birth parents?" Annabeth asked hastily. "How... how do you know that?"the girl asked, incredulous. "We're just like you," Percy answered. "We're half-bloods- children of the Greek gods."

The girl looked confused, then looked around the room as if she expected someone to tell her Percy was joking. "_We? _As in, me too?" she managed to ask. "Probably. The _dracaenae _said something about four half-bloods. One, two, three," Percy said, pointing to himself, Nico, and Annabeth, "and four," he finished, pointing at the astonished girl.

"What about him?" she asked, the emotion in her voice hard to decipher, as she pointed to the satyr. "Him?" Annabeth smirked. "He's a satyr." The satyr dropped his pants, kicking off his fake feet. "Half goat."

The girl nearly fainted. Luckily, Nico caught her. Scrabbling from Nico's grip, the new half-blood let the information sink in. "So, my mother was a goddess? Which one?" she asked suddenly. Percy shrugged. "The only one that knows is your mother, and possibly your father," he told her. "Oh,  
she sighed. It was obvious that she wanted to know her mother's identity.

"In any case, we need to get you to camp," Annabeth told her. "It's a camp for kids like us, demigods. Half-bloods." She pointedly gestured to her shirt. "Why would I come with you?" she asked. "Because you know who you are now. Monster attacks will become more frequent," Annabeth explained. The other girl still seemed cautious.

"We don't have time to argue with her. We have a quest to fulfill. Peleus isn't likely to be getting any better," Nico said, annoyance easing its way into his voice. Annabeth sighed. "Nico's right. We need the Rod of Asclepius, and soon," Annabeth agreed. Though she didn't like the idea of leaving the half-blood alone, they needed to return to Peleus.

"Someone at your camp is sick? I-" the other half-blood started. "Peleus, the guard-dragon. We came here seeking the Rod of Asclepius so that we can heal him," Annabeth explained. She turned to the satyr. "That's why we came. Do you happen to be familiar with Roger Burnick of Half-Bloods for History?"

The satyr beamed. "You know Roger?" he asked. Annabeth nodded. "He said you'd help us with our quest," Annabeth added. "Sure! I may not be the best satyr, as far as detecting monsters and half-bloods, but I'm good at this, and I can manipulate the Mist well enough."

"I'm Drew," he added enthusiastically. Annabeth shook his hand. "I'm Annabeth, and my friends are Percy and Nico," Annabeth told him. Drew managed to open the case containing the Rod of Asclepius. It's not too hard to break glass when you have hooves. Annabeth gratefully took it from him. "Thank you, Drew. And you're not a bad satyr- you did a great job fending off that _dracaenae."_

The Rod of Asclepius safely secured, Annabeth turned back to Percy, Nico, and the other half-blood. "We've got it!" she told them. They both grinned. Turning to the other half-blood, she said "Make up your mind. I'd suggest coming with us to camp. If not, you and your family will likely be in danger."

"I can't just _leave _my dad. He'll be worried," she stated. "Well, whether or not your father knows _who _your immortal parent is, she likely told him about Camp Half-Blood. He knows you'll need to go there at some point," Annabeth said. "Tell him you're going to camp, and, if you're coming, don't take no for an answer."

The girl thought it over. She looked at the museum, the satyr, and realized it had to be real. That would explain a lot. "Alright, fine. Um... my dad will be picking me up in, like, twenty minutes. Can you wait?" she answered finally. "That's fine. But I'd suggest we all leave this wreck," Annabeth answered with a grin.

The foursome left the museum, hoping that Drew the satyr could manipulate the Mist well enough to avoid suspicion. "I want a soda," Nico stated. "Get me a Cherry Coke? "Percy asked. He nodded, then disappeared into the shadows.

"Um, is he...?" "A son of Hades? Yep," Percy answered. If she wasn't so freaked out already, that probably would've done it."I'm Rosemary, by the way. But I usually go by Rosie." Annabeth smiled. "Annabeth Chase, daughter of Athena," Annabeth said, shaking her hand. "And this," she gestured towards Percy, "is Percy Jackson, son of Poseidon."

Rosemary was still sinking in all of the day's events when, out of nowhere, Nico appeared from the shadows beside her. He was toggling three sodas, and he handed one to her. "Hope you like root beer," he said with a small, sympathetic grin. "Thanks- Nico, is it?" He nodded. "I'm Rosemary." Nico handed the larger of the remaining two sodas to Percy. "Figured Annabeth would wanna' share," he grinned. "Thanks, Nico." Annabeth grinned as well.

Rosemary had consumed half of her root beer by the time her dad's car pulled up to the front of the museum. "That's my dad," she said, getting to her feet. Percy and Annabeth both followed her to the white car. As they got close, he seemed to freeze at the sight of their shirts. "Rosie? Who are your... friends?" he asked, as if he was trying to consider other possibilities. "Dad," Rosemary started, "I have to go to camp."

**End Note: Finally done! I didn't procrastinate at all! Me, never... Okay, but blame it on Pokémon SoulSilver. XD Anyway, sorry for the wait guys! I'm going to try to do 1-2 chapters every two weeks. If not, you guys reserve the right to harass me through PM's to update. Honest. Anyway, I'll try to finish up Chapter three soon! (And, yes, another cliffhanger! How will her dad respond?)**


	3. Heading Back to Camp

**Heading Back to Camp**

**Author's Note: _I feel really, REALLY bad about taking this long to update!_ I just never get around to actually typing my stories up, I always hand-write them. Anyway, as the title suggests, the demigods return to camp. But does this mean their quest is over? Read to find out!**

Her dad frowned. "I-I didn't think it would be so soon... I would've been more prepared..." "Soon?" Nico butted in. Nobody had noticed him walk up. "She's _fifteen,_" he added pointedly. Her father sighed. "If you must go... But be careful." She frowned. Her dad hadn't told her that her mother was a goddess? "I will, dad," Rosemary sighed.

"Well, we've got to go. Um, thanks for your cooperation and all that, but we've got a sick dragon to attend to," Percy told her father good-bye, told him to ship her stuff to the camp- he knew the address. She discovered that her father didn't know the identity of her father, only that she was a Greek goddess. Sighing, she followed the other half-bloods.

As Rosemary's dad reluctantly drove off, Percy whistled. Soon, Mrs. O'Leary and the Pegasi came back from where they were hiding. _Hey, Boss, who's the new chick? _Blackjack asked. Only Percy could hear him. "That's Rosemary. She's coming back with us," Percy explained. _A'ight, boss. But Porkpie ain't here... _Blackjack added. "Have Guido take her. Annabeth can ride with us," he told the Pegasus. He nodded his big black head and stretched his wings.

"Who's he _talking _to?" Rosemary asked, confused. "The Pegasus, Blackjack," Annabeth answered, as if this were completely normal. It was for them, anyway. "Poseidon created horses- and Pegasi," she added. It was then that Mrs. O'Leary noticed her. She raised her head, panting and wagging her tail. "WOOF!"

"Mrs. O'Leary, no!" Percy snapped, but it was too late. She slammed her shadowy self into Rosemary, licking her vigorously. Percy was surprised, there were only a few people Mrs. O'Leary took to like that. "Mrs. O'Leary!" he snapped again. Finally, she leapt to Percy's side. "I'm sorry about that, she gets... excited," Percy said, his grin apologetic.

"It's alright." Rosemary wiped drool from her face. "I like dogs." "That's Mrs. O'Leary, by the way. She's, as far as I know, the only tame hellhound," Percy explained. Blackjack whinnied. _We __gettin__' this show on the road, boss?_ he asked. "Alright, Blackjack." Percy helped Rosemary get situated on Guido's back. "Do _not _drop her," Percy warned. Probably not the best thing to say around a nervous first-time Pegasus flier. She got on anyway, gripping Guido's silky-white mane carefully.

Percy watched as Nico and Mrs. O'Leary shadow-traveled towards camp. They could do it individually, but it was easier for both of them if they pooled their energy, especially for long distances. Lastly, Percy helped Annabeth onto Blackjack's back and sat behind her. He knew he wouldn't hear the last of it if he didn't let her navigate.

With that, Percy whistled and both of the Pegasi launched into the air. Rosemary shut her eyes tightly, willing herself not to look down. The sun was starting to set as the winged horses made their way back to New York, to Half-Blood Hill.

Percy took the time to examine the Rod of Asclepius more thoroughly. It seemed to be made completely of stone, though if it was natural Percy couldn't identify it. It looked almost like a walking stick or a staff, with a stone snake wrapped around its length. Twin rubies made up its eyes. It reminded Percy of a caduceus, and he wondered if maybe it was meant to be a medical symbol instead. He secured the Rod, then began to drift into thought. Though it was hard for him to focus on one thing, it was easy for him to simply zone out, his attention not on anything in particular.

_Boss? Hey, boss! _Blackjack whinnied. "Huh? Oh, I'm up, I'm up," he muttered. He expected to see the familiar site of Camp below him. He could see the forest, the strawberry fields, and the cabins, but their was a haziness other than the blur of the night.

"Take us down, Blackjack," Percy said. The black Pegasus began to lower, and his companion followed. They landed inside the magical borders, passing through a veil of smoke before reaching the ground. Rosemary was coughing as she stumbled off the Pegasus.

"What in Hades?" Percy muttered as Nico started towards him, Mrs. O'Leary bounding at his heels. "Peleus- the smoke from his nostrils is spreading over the whole forest. He's getting worse." Percy was worried. "Well, let's take the Rod to him and hope it works."

"Nico, can you take Rosemary to Chiron? Annabeth, come with me," Percy said, taking her hand to help her off of the Pegasus. Mrs. O'Leary accompanied Nico and Rosemary, and Percy and Annabeth went to Peleus.

The dragon's eyes were completely shut, the smoke coming from his nostrils was so thick they could barely see him through it. He grunted as they came close, but didn't even try to move or lift his head. "It's alright, Peleus, it's us," Annabeth said soothingly. "We have something that should make you better."

They were expecting the artifact to come to life immediately, so when it didn't they were disappointed. Annabeth tried saying words like "heal" and "start" in Ancient Greek, but still nothing happened. "Maybe someone related to healing has to do it. Like, an Apollo camper," Percy suggested. "We could try it." Annabeth sounded doubtful.

Soon, they had Seth Miller trying. Still, nothing. Even when he spoke in Greek. He shrugged. "Some cures take a while to take effect. Maybe, if we leave it with him, it will heal him over time," Seth suggested. Annabeth shrugged. "It's the best we got."

Seth placed the Rod carefully into the ground beside the dragon. "I don't know what else will work if this doesn't," Seth said sadly. Annabeth nodded, grimly, in agreement. "Alright, Peleus. We'll see you tomorrow. Hope you're alright," Annabeth said quietly. The three demigods left the dragon for their cabins, hoping the dragon would be alright in the morning.

**End Note:**** Again, I apologize for my lack of updates. It's definitely not over yet, so stay ****tuned! I got to meet Rick Riordan a few weeks ago, during his Red Pyramid tour! He _is _as amazing as you thought, if you were wondering. The Red Pyramid is great, too. PJ fans should read it! **


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